New Laws and Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day! I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the City of Fairfax Independence Day Parade this Friday. The parade kicks off at 10:00 a.m. followed by lots of fun events. And, of course, the day ends with a bang at Fairfax High School with fireworks. Click here for the full schedule of activities.

We also begin a year-long celebration leading up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence! 

The Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission has planned a series of events to “engage, educate, and inspire citizens to form a more perfect union.” And just to make it abundantly clear that Virginia played a critical role in the independence movement, the commission has adopted the tagline “America. Made in Virginia.” Take that, other 49 states! Visit the VA250 website for lots of great information on events and activities.

Closer to home, Fairfax County is also planning lots of fantastic events that the entire family can enjoy. How do I know this? Because a certain Gretchen Bulova is chair of the Fairfax County 250th Commission! You can learn about events and how to get involved by visiting Fairfax County VA250.

NEW LAWS

July 1st is the day when most of the bills passed during the General Assembly go into effect. This year, 727 bills were signed into law by the Governor. Below are just a few of the new laws that may be of interest to constituents. You can find an expanded version in the publication “In Due Course” from our Division of Legislative Services. If you want to dive even deeper, the 2025 Session Summary includes the fate of all introduced bills by subject area.

• HB1844 – Baby Food Protection Act. Prohibits a person from selling baby food products that contain toxic heavy metals that exceed limits established by the U.S Food and Drug Administration and requires the manufacturer to include certain information related to toxic heavy metals on baby food products.
• HB1725 – Medical Debt Protection Act. Prohibits large health care facilities or medical debt buyers from using certain extraordinary debt collection actions until 90 days following the due date of the final invoice. The law also provides that interest or late fees shall not exceed three percent of the amount owed per year.
• HB1961 – Cell Phone Use at School. Directs each school board to develop and implement policies relating to the bell-to-bell use and possession of cell phones and other smart devices while on school property. Exceptions are made for students with an Individualized Education Plan or a Limited English Proficiency Plan.
• HB2774 – School-Connected Overdoes. Requires public and private school principals to report certain information to the parents of enrolled students within 24 hours about a confirmed or suspected school-connected drug overdose.
• HB1941 – Invasive Plants. Requires retailers selling plants on the invasive plant species list to post information in a conspicuous manner identifying any such plants as invasive and educating the consumer about alternatives. The requirement is effective January 1, 2027.
• SB1339 – Telephone Privacy Protection Act. Requires telephone solicitors to stop solicitations if they receive the word UNSUBSCRIBE or STOP from the recipient. The request must be honored for at least 10 years from when the request is made.
• SB1371 – Gift Certificates. Prohibits the imposition of a dormancy or inactivity fee on gift certificates unless certain requirements of the law are met.
• HB2515 – Disclosure of Mandatory Fees or Surcharges. Also know as “junk fees,” this law prohibits a business or supplier from advertising or displaying a price for goods or services without clearly displaying the total price – including mandatory fees or surcharges.
• SB854 – Social Media and Minors. Requires any social media platform to use commercially available mechanisms to determine whether a user is under age 16 and limit such minor’s use of the platform to one hour per day. The daily limit may be increased with verifiable parental consent.
• HB1946 – Tobacco and Hemp Products. Prohibits any person younger than 21 years of age from possessing any retail tobacco or hemp product intended for smoking (including vaping) with certain exceptions as enumerated by the law.
• HB2036 – Exhibition Driving. Expands reckless driving to include exhibition driving, which is defined as performing wheelies, donuts, and other dangerous maneuvers in close proximity to people. The law prohibits slowing or stopping traffic for exhibition driving and establishes penalties for aiding and abetting exhibition driving. This is my legislation at the request of Fairfax County.
• HB2657 – Manslaughter for Certain Drug Offenses. Provides that a person is guilty of involuntary manslaughter for knowingly manufacturing, selling, or distributing a controlled substance laced with fentanyl and where death results from the use of such controlled substance.
• HB2493 – Fantasy Gaming Age Limits. Increases from 18 to 21 years of age the minimum age that an individual must be to participate in fantasy gaming contests.
• HB1918 – Women’s Menstrual Health Program. Directs the Commissioner of Health to establish the Women’s Menstrual Health Program. The program is to include education and training concerning menstrual health and health screening.
• HB1828 – Breast Examinations. Prohibits health insurance carriers from imposing cost sharing for diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations on or after January 1, 2026.
• HB2097 – Prostate Cancer Screenings. Updated existing mandated coverage requirements for prostate cancer screenings to reflect new tests and guidelines from the American Cancer Society.
• HB1766 – Unemployment Compensation. Effective January 1, 2026, increases an eligible individual’s unemployment benefit by $52 per week. The current maximum weekly benefit is $378. Even with the increase, the benefit falls far short of being able to cover household costs, especially in Northern Virginia.
• HB2218 – Rental Payment Methods. Requires a landlord to offer a method of payment that does not include additional fees. 
• HB2116 – Non-Apparent Disability Designation on License. Adds a way to indicate on a person’s driver’s license that they have a non-apparent disability that could impair their communication when stopped by law enforcement.
• HB2124 – Synthetic Digital Content. Directs the Attorney General to convene a work group to study and make recommendations on the current enforcement of laws related to the use of synthetic digital content, including deepfakes, and any further action needed to address fraudulent acts.
• HB2475 – Seat Belts. Requires all adult passengers in a motor vehicle equipped with a safety belt system to wear such belt when the motor vehicle is in motion on a public highway. Current law requires adults to wear seat belts when occupying the front seat.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you want to learn more about these or other bills passed by the General Assembly.

REPORTS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Since the General Assembly is part-time, we rely on ongoing research and special reports from standing commissions and our professional staff. This information is critical to help us make informed decisions during the regular session. 

These reports cover a wide range of policy areas. For example, in 2025 and in no particular order of importance, the General Assembly received reports on autism, tobacco taxes, artificial intelligence, paid family and medical leave, sexual and domestic violence prevention, housing, K-12 education spending, and electric vehicle rebates. We also receive copious amounts of data affecting the state budget, such as trends in Virginia Lottery revenue and higher education six-year capital plans – just to name a few.

All of these reports can be found on the Division of Legislative Services webpage. Click and explore!​

Happy Independence Day. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve you!